A woman who almost had it all . . . On the surface, Celine Gonzalez had everything a twenty-eight-year-old woman could want: a one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a job that (mostly) paid the bills, and an acceptance letter to the prestigious Hollingsworth Institute of Art, where she would finally live out her dream of becoming an antiques appraiser for a major auction house. All she had worked so hard to achieve was finally within her reach. So why would she kill herself?

A man who was supposed to be her salvation . . .

Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after a suicide that has left everyone stunned. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a lethal cocktail of pills and vodka, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers a scandalous photograph in a lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man Celine believed would change her life.

Until he became her ruin.

On the hunt for evidence that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer. A killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.

Review

He Will Be My Ruin was in my top ten of 2016 and now it’s being released in paperback on February 14, 2017!!!

Gripping, sexy, and intense

#ISuspectEveryone

I’ve always been a fan of K.A Tucker’s writing. She has an easy way with words and her characters and story lines always manage to captivate my attention. He Will Be My Ruin was one of my most anticipated novels of this year and this story did not disappoint. The synopsis hooked me from the moment I read it and with Ms. Tucker’s writing easily drew me in.

This book consumed my life for two days. I didn’t want to do anything else but read this book and I was miserable when I had to put it down. This is the sort of story that just demands your attention and it made me anxious while I was reading. I needed to know the who, the what, and the whys, and I mistrusted almost everyone along the way.

The story opens up to Maggie coming to New York to deal with her best friend, Celine’s death. Maggie and Celine have been best friends since they were little kids and they were like family. It’s hard for Maggie to imagine that Celine is gone and it’s even harder for her to believe that Celine would take her own life. As Maggie tries to settle Celine’s accounts, she begins to find out that Celine had many secrets. These secrets raise some new questions and Maggie become suspicious about the true nature of Celine’s death.

I found myself easily swept into this story. I had so many questions and suspicions There was a wide range of characters and each added a unique piece to the puzzle. I liked Maggie almost immediately. She was complex, intuitive, and in some small ways a naïve person. She grew up in a privileged lifestyle and yet she spent her time and money basically trying to save the world. She was a loyal friend and she would have to done anything and would have given anything to Celine or her mother Rosa. Yet Celine would never take her generosity.

The story is mainly told from Maggie’s POV but you see and hear about Celine from her diary entries. She was a beautiful and sweet person but you become aware that there was much more to Celine. There was pain, insecurities, and even resentment that affected her deeply. She hid a lot about herself from those closest to her. I was frustrated with her stubbornness but I also understood her.

This was a phenomenal read and it I definitely recommended it. This novel kept me glued to the pages and I experienced a wide range of emotions. I was surprised that there was even some humor infused into the story. The mystery element of the story was complex and it will easily keep you guessing. I was side eyeing everyone. I wanted one element of the story to be fleshed about a little bit more, but it in no way did it take away from the overall story. I loved this novel and I hope to see more of this genre from Ms. Tucker.

PS: Don’t forget about the #ISuspectEveryone sweepstakes! Please post your best suspicious “murder mystery” scenes on Instagram during the blog tour: 2/13 – 2/22, and you’ll be entered to win a paperback copy of HE WILL BE MY RUIN, annotated by K.A. Tucker herself!

P.S. Keep your eyes peeled for UNTIL IT FADES (on-sale 5/2/17), K.A. Tucker’s first full romance since the Ten Tiny Breathsseries!!

About K.A. Tucker

Born in small-town Ontario, Kathleen published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She is a voracious reader and the farthest thing from a genre-snob, loving everything from High Fantasy to Chick Lit. Kathleen currently resides in a quaint small town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.